Half to geoege w



(No Model.)

A. P. FISHER.

REIN SUPPORTER- No. 367,611. Patented Au 2, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. PARK FISHER, OF FAIR PLAIN, VEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE HALF TO GEORGE WV. PFOST, OF-SAllIE PLACE.

RElN-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,611, dated August 2, 1887.

Application filed May 17, 1887. Serial Ho. 238,533. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. PARK FISHER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Fair Plain, in the county of Jackson and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rein-Supporters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rein-supporter, showing the same secured in operative position upon the shafts of a one-horse carriage or wagon. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the supporter secured. upon the tongue or pole of a two-horse car riage or wagon. Fig. 3 isa detail View of one of the parts or sections of the supporter, and Fig. 4 is aperspective view of a modification of my invention. l

The same letters of reference indicate 'corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in an improved reinsupporter which is adapted for use on the shafts or tongue of any kind of vehicle, and

which will. efi'ectually prevent the reins from becoming entangled with or caughtunder any part of the harness, and also prevent the horse from getting his tail over the reins.

My invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the right-hand and B the left-hand part or half of my improved rein-supporter.

Each half may be formed in a single piece, as'

shown in Fig. 1, or may be made in two sections, as shown in Fig. 2, an upper section, 0, and a lower section, D, the said sections being adjustably secured at their meeting ends by means of screws passing through series of transverse apertures, E, in the said two ends, and by employing this sectional construction thelength or height of the supporter may be adjusted to' suit tall or low horses, or

to change the supporter from a carriage to a sleigh, and I therefore prefer this form. The lower end of each part A and B is curved outwardly, and the inner lower side or edge of this lower end is recessed at F, forming the lower and upper shoulders or projections, G and H, and through this upper shoulder or projection, G, passes and works a set or thumb ing-screws I may be adjusted and secured in their adjusted positions relative to the upper parts of the sections A and B, as will be readily understood, so that the said projections and the lower inner ends of the retaining-screws I will always fit square down upon the tongue or shafts, no matter whether the lower ends of the sections A and B are drawn together to fit on a tongue or are spread far apart to fit on shafts. The advantage of this construction will be readily understood. The middle part of these sections A and B above the outwardlycurved lower parts thereof is curved inward and then outward, as shown at J, and the upper part, K, is again curved in the form of an arc of a circle, as shown, so that when the sides or parts A and B are brought together, as when placed on the tongue of a wagon or other vehicle, the sections A and B cross each other at three points, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,with the upper ends of the pieces A and B projecting out to the side opposite to that on which their lower ends lie. The two parts A and B are preferably made of mallea ble iron, although they may of course be made of any other suitable material. The meeting faces of the two parts A and B are recessed at the points where they cross each other at L, M, and N, so that at the points where they cross each other their combined thickness is only about the same as the thickness of one part at any other than the recessed point, and the sides of the said recesses are inclined out toward each of their ends, so as to admit of the separation of thelower ends of the parts A and B, as hereinafter described. The reduced upper outwardlyextending end of each part A or B is bent or curled around to form a lapring, 0, the space within each ring being about three inches across.

To secure my improved rein-supporter in operative position upon the shafts of a onehorse carriage or other vehicle, the lower ends of the two parts are placed on the outer sides of the shafts after the lower ends, a and b, have been adjusted to the right angle and secured in their adjusted positions by tightening the set-screws \V WV, directly behind the horse, the shaft fitting into the space between the upper and lower projections, G and H, into the recess between the said projections, and the parts are then secured firmly upon the shafts by screwing down the set or thumb screws Lwhich securely hold the parts in their operative positions upon the shaft. The lowerends of the parts A and B being thus secured upon or to the shafts, it will be found that the parts A and B cross at the notches N at their upper ends, the said notched portions fitting one within the other, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the upper ends of the parts are securely held together in this position by means of a bolt, P,which passes through a transverse perforation in each piece A B at this point, the bolt being retained in position by means of a split key passing through its end or by threading the said end and screwing a nut upon it, or by any other similar means, and the other end of the bolt is formed with ahead, Q, for convenience in removing it when desired. The supporter having been thus firmly secured in its operative position upon the shafts of a carriage or' other vehicle (and it will be seen that the peculiar form of the sides of the recess N permit of some adjustment in case of the space between the shafts varying) the reins are introduced into the openings in the upper ends of the pieces A and B by sliding the reins under the free end of the upper end of each piece, thus passing the rein into the interior space of the ring formed by curving or bending the free upper ends of the parts around upon themselves, in the manner clearly shown in the drawings, and it will be seen that the reins may thus be easily introduced into the openings in the upper ends of the pieces A and B without unbuckling their ends, and that they cannot slip or work out of the said openings, as the free end a is bent around so as to touch with its side the upper part or end of its stem. that the reins are thus effectually prevented from becoming entangled with or caught under any part of the harness, and the horse is also prevented from getting his tail over the reins. The pieces A and B are furtherstrengthened and braced by the braces R, having the recessed ends to adapt them to engage with the pieces A and B and the shafts, as shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, and the braces may be held in their adjusted positions by the setscrews S.

To secure my improved rein-supporter in operative position upon the tongue of a two- It will be seen.

horse carriage or other vehicle, the lower ends of the two parts A and B are placed on the opposite sides of the tongue after the lower ends, a and I), have been adjusted and secured in their adjusted positions by the set-screws \V V, directly behind the horsc,the tongue fitting into the space between the upper projections, G and H, and the thumb-screws I are then screwed down to bind the parts upon the tongue; and when they are secured in this position the parts A and B cross each other at three points, L, M, and N, and are fastened together by a bolt, P, passing through them at the lower point, L, this bolt being similar to the upper bolt, P, and the upper bolt may also be employed to additionally strengthen the parts. The reins are then introduced into the openings in the upper ends of the parts A andB in the manner before described, and the braces R R are secured upon the tongue to brace and steady the device, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The upper parts of the halves A andB may be made somewhat straighter, as shown-in the modification, Fig. 4, of the drawings, so that when the parts are secured upon the tongue of a vehicle they will onlycross each other at two points, and many modifications in the precise form of the two parts may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

It will be seen that my invention is simple in construction and that it can be adjusted in its operative position in a few moments, and is exceedingly effective in operation, preventing the reins from becoming entangled with or caught under any part of the harness, and also preventing the horse from getting his tail over the reins, thus removing a very frequent cause of annoyance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The herein-described rein-supporter, consisting of the separable parts or sections formed with the pivoted adjustable lower ends having ICO the inward projections and the set-screws, the

pivot bolt or bolts for securing the two sections at the point or points where they cross, and having the openings formed in their up per ends, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-describedrein-supporter,eonsisting of the separable parts or sections formed each of the two adjustable sections and having the pivoted adjustable lower ends having the inward projections and the set-screws, the bolt or bolts for securing the said parts orsections at the point or points where they cross, and the upper ends formed with the openings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described rein-supporter,eonsistin g of the separable parts or sections formed with the pivoted adjustable lower ends having the inward projections, and having the setscrews,the pivot bolt or bolts for securing the said sections at the. point or points where they cross, and the curved upper ends bent to form the lap-rings, substantially as set forth. 4. Therein-supporter consistingof the separable parts'or sections formed each of the two adjustable sections having thepivoted adj ustable lower ends havingtheinward projections and the set-screws, the bolt or bolts for securing the said parts at the point or points where they cross, and the curved upper ends bent to form the lap-rings, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the rein-supporter consisting of the separable parts formed with the adjustable pivoted lower ends having the inward projections and the set-screws, the pivot bolt or bolts for securing them at the point or points where they cross, and the curved upper ends bent to form the lap-rings, of the braces arranged as described, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. Theherein-describedrein-supporter,consisting of the separable parts having the side recesses and formed with the pivoted adjustable lower ends having the inward projections and the set-screws, the bolt or bolts for securing the said parts at the point or points where they cross, and the curved upper ends bent to form thevlap-rings, substantially as set forth.

7. The herein-described rein-supporter, consisting of the separable parts formed each of the two adjustable sections and having the side recesses, and having the pivoted adjustable lower ends provided with the inward projections and the set-screws, the bolt or bolts for securing the said parts together at the point or points where they cross, and the curved upper ends bent to form the 1ap-rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereunto affixed my signature "Witnesses:

H. W. DEEM, CHAS. E. GREER. 

